The present invention relates to a combination cap and applicator device and, more particularly, to a combination cap and applicator device for capping a container of air curable material and for spreading the material dispensed from the container.
Sealants such as caulking and other air curable materials are typically provided in a cartridge or squeezable tube. The cartridge or tube includes a slightly tapered nozzle extending from one end thereof wherein the end of the nozzle is typically formed as a sealed tip for isolating the material within the container from the atmosphere and thereby preventing hardening of the material. When application of the material such as caulking is desired, the sealed tip is simply cut off, leaving an opening through which the caulking may be dispensed. Often times, however, the contents of the caulking cartridge may not be entirely dispensed during a caulking operation, and if precautions are not taken to reseal or close the nozzle, the remaining caulking compound will harden due to exposure to the atmosphere. The same problem is also encountered when the nozzle of a cartridge or tube of glue or other hardenable and extrudable substance is opened and partially used. Thus, a closure device is required for the end of the open nozzle to prevent hardening of the extrudable substance.
Once the material has been dispensed from the cartridge or tube, it is typically spread to form a smooth bead, and this operation is typically performed using a finger, backside of a spoon, popsicle stick, or a separate tool which is specially designed for the operation. Since the special tool is generally not provided with the cartridge or tube, the do-it-yourselfer will typically not have such a tool available when performing a caulking operation and will resort to using a finger to spread out the caulking which can lead to non-professional appearing results.